# Why Trump will be one of the best Presidents ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 26, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190 "2016-02-26T13:42:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/41 "2016-02-26T18:29:06Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > This sentence is delusional. All humans are capable of all human behavior. That you think Democrats are some kind of magical creatures shows your bias. Democrats are capable of that behavior. They just haven’t built their platform on it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/42 "2016-02-26T18:32:31Z")
If Trump had one more head, he’d be Zaphod Beeblebrox – only without a conscience. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/43 "2016-02-26T18:35:30Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > The Trump that can be described is not the true Trump. As there is/was Heisenberg’s Cat, so there is/could be The Donald. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/44 "2016-02-26T18:40:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It’s true that Trump the character and Trump the real person behind that character are different. So what do we know about the real Trump? Not much, but one thing we do know is that he’s the kind of guy who would present himself as a hateful destroyer as his public character. Is someone who would choose that persona really someone we want as President? So far, he seems like the sort of guy who would take over Bedford Falls and rename it Pottersville. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/45 "2016-02-26T18:44:12Z")
Here’s what you’re not considering: 1. He’ll exploit any loophole to get something he wants done. If the public has a problem with it? Hey sorry, its legal, so fuck off! 2. A Dem Senate would pull less stuff with a President Clinton or Sanders, so shoehorning Trump in there if you expect less shenanigans is silly when you have better qualified candidates 3. Clinton’s a moderate. If you don’t care about what people say in public or what lies they tell to get votes, then shouldn’t you support the caricature they’ve made of Clinton? According to the GOP, that’s all she does, so if you like people who talk to the public with one side of the mouth but do something else, you should love Clinton 4. Given how much of the presidency requires mobilizing public support, not caring about your public image seems like one of the worst qualities. Furthermore, if you don’t care about public perception, that means you, as a member of the public, cannot influence him to do what you want. You’d be giving a 4 year job to someone that you cannot fire or influence, all on the premise that he’s different. I’d rather a politician look at the polls to see where the winds are blowing and follow that than someone who never changes ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/46 "2016-02-26T18:49:39Z")
I’ll say this for him. Given his repeated successes at coming back from bankruptcy, America’s debt issues will be a thing of the past if he’s elected prez. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/47 "2016-02-26T19:00:23Z")
The one thing he demonstrates at every outing is utter, craven self interest. All his sentences start with ‘I’! And he never stops telling us how rich and great he is. He’s pretty up front that he’s all about Donald, all the time! Cynicism outpacing actual qualifications, Americans are willing to elect this asinine jackass to the Oval Office? And expect what exactly? That he’ll behave as an asinine jackass on the World stage? And use the most power pulpit in the land for his own craven self interests? How do they convince themselves it could possibly be otherwise? ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/48 "2016-02-26T19:24:11Z")
> [@tullsterx](#): > > Decent points in the OP. But, those points don’t necessarily add up to a “best” President. > > I’ve almost decided to vote for Trump in the upcoming primary just because: I JUST WANT TO SEE IT! At this point I’m just curious what the hell a Trump presidency would look like. We’ve pretty much seen the likes of Rubio and Cruz and Kasich and Clinton in the White House. . . you might could say the same for Sanders, “I just want to see it.” I would point you to Jesse Ventura as governor of MN. I had moved out by then, but my brother (an otherwise intelligent man) voted for Jesse on pretty much the “hell, why not?” theory. Hilarity did \*\*\*not \*\*\*ensue. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/49 "2016-02-26T19:44:58Z")
So, you think that because he can “play ball” successfully in business, he’ll know how to “play ball” successfully in government? That’s like thinking Larry Csonka or Jim Brown would have been great draft picks for the NBA. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/50 "2016-02-26T19:45:15Z")
Ventura was a good governor, from what I’ve heard. He certainly seemed fundamentally decent in a way that Trump does not. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/51 "2016-02-26T20:04:14Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > I would point you to Jesse Ventura as governor of MN. I had moved out by then, but my brother (an otherwise intelligent man) voted for Jesse on pretty much the “hell, why not?” theory. > > Hilarity did \*\*\*not \*\*\*ensue. Worthless trivia Dept.: an official slogan of Kinky Friedman’s bid for the Texas governorship was “Why the hell not?” Didn’t work in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/52 "2016-02-26T20:27:48Z")
I for one thank god Kanye West is not in the presidential race. If all it takes to get votes from the rubes in the GOP nomination is to brag about yourself non-stop, make immature insults about your rivals, and make grandiose claims of all the miracles you’re going to perform, then I think Kanye would give Trump a run for his money. Good lord people are pathetic. “But he’s going to make DEALS with everybody! He’s going to get things done by making DEALS! He even wrote a best selling book about the art of the DEAL!” “And he’s not going to take crap from anyone! Because he’s tough! When someone attacks him, he attacks back even harder! That’s how you win everyone’s respect and get things done, just one-up them when they attack you! It’s just sooo simple!” ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/53 "2016-02-26T20:53:35Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > I would point you to Jesse Ventura as governor of MN. I had moved out by then, but my brother (an otherwise intelligent man) voted for Jesse on pretty much the “hell, why not?” theory. > > Hilarity did \*\*\*not \*\*\*ensue. Not a Minnesotan, wasn’t Ventura a decent governor? He has some crazy personal beliefs but they didn’t impact his governing much, did it? ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/54 "2016-02-27T02:41:48Z")
He wasn’t the worst, but he also wasn’t that good. His crazy beliefs didn’t really impact his governing, but he did govern with a not-great combination of conservative and liberal ideals. He pushed through some progressive stuff like increased education funding, but cut taxes significantly, so the $4B surplus Minnesota was running in 1998 became a $4.5B deficit by 2002. I’m sure the legislature bears a good bit of the blame too, but I was 11 when he left office, so this is mostly hearsay on my part. [Here’s an MPR article from 2002 about his legacy.](http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200212/17_mccalluml_venturalegacy/) ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/55 "2016-02-27T05:32:46Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > He’s a crude vulgarian utterly unschooled in the workings of government. His presidency would be a disaster on a scale that would make George W. Bush look like Lincoln in comparison. Still, he’s not Ted Cruz. If he’s stealing enough of Ted Cruz’s potential base to keep Cruz from getting the nomination, he’s doing us a service. > [@bump](#): > > Ted Cruz is really the threat; that guy will end up being veto-crazy and obstructionist and a general pest to the entire world if elected. I hope a Trump election will 1) ruin the USA’s standing in the world, 2) prove that our populace is unfit for democracy, and 3) failing those, get the GOP onto a different national strategy than sucking up to the Kochs and Sheldon Adelson. Cruz, by contrast, would be seen as a victory for the same toxic mix of evangelicalism, servile politicians, and Big Oil we had with Shrub. And since he’s just a more extreme version of the Reagan/Bush doctrine, he easily might be taken _seriously._ :eek: If I’m stuck with one of the two, Trump is at least an obvious clown. ETA: Rooting for my country to lose its standing in the world may be counter-intuitive, but since the W Bush days, we’ve kind of been bad hegemons. If we refuse to shape up, we have it coming. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/56 "2016-02-27T06:54:35Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > 1. “Trump” is a character; the real Donald will get things done. I’ve heard a few reports that Donald Trump is not at all like the persona he portrays. Yes, in public President Trump will be all bluster and self-aggrandizing but in the day-to-day politicking he will be the deal-maker. A Dem Senate would not be pulling the same stuff with Donald like the Pubs do with Obama. Think more of an LBJ presidency. Most people support a particular candidate because they hope that once he’s in office he’ll keep his promises. I’m amazed how many support Trump because they hope he won’t. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/57 "2016-02-27T07:49:02Z")
I love how in 8 years we went from “Obama the community organizer is the most inexperienced candidate of all time” to “Trump the reality show star and real estate developer is going to be the best president EVER.” One was a decorated constitutional law professor and sitting Senator, the other owns casinos. I’m too young to feel so exhausted. How is America this bad and how is it getting worse? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/58 "2016-02-27T08:25:50Z")
Well, once there was a man named Ronald Reagan, who made B-movies and sold cigarettes. He hated the California university system, and he became governor of California… ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/59 "2016-02-27T09:19:35Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I don’t think Trump really care what people think of him personally. He doesn’t sit at home crying because no one thinks he’s a nice guy. That could play well when he has to make deals. I can see him being like President Richard Belzer in _Groove Tube_. You’re right…he doesn’t sit at home crying. He just [sues the shit out of them](http://fortune.com/2015/08/14/donald-trump-lawsuits/). Who was it he threatened to sue because they (some media outlet or individual) referred to him as a “millionaire” instead of “billionaire?” ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2016, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190/60 "2016-02-27T11:48:54Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Worthless trivia Dept.: an official slogan of Kinky Friedman’s bid for the Texas governorship was “Why the hell not?” Didn’t work in this case. The Kinkster is a pretty good writer (of songs & books). But his candidacy helped Rick Perry [remain governor in 2006](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_gubernatorial_election,_2006). There were four major candidates & Rick won with 39% of the vote. Would all of Kinky’s fans have voted for the Democrat if he hadn’t run? That’s not certain. Still, the fiasco made me hope Kinky keeps doing what he knows how to do… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-trump-will-be-one-of-the-best-presidents-ever/747190.md?page=4)